Although the physical release of Dungeons and Dragons next campaign setting book, Mythic Odysseys of Theros, has been delayed until July 21, tabletop fans who pick up the digital version of the book are actually getting their eyes on it next week. The DnD Beyond version of the Magic: The Gathering inspired DnD book arrives on June 2 and players can now get an even better idea of what content is going to be inside.
Like just about any campaign setting book, fans have expected the Dungeons and Dragons Theros book to contain some new races, subclasse options, a guide to running adventures in the new setting, and a glossary of new monsters. All of that is definitely going to be jammed into the Mythic Odysseys of Theros, but a new first look at the book's table of contents offers even more details about what is inside.
Yesterday, Wizards of the Coast dropped the table of contents page on their social media channels to help build buzz for the upcoming title and remind shoppers that the digital version will be available on Tuesday, June 2. Immediately after it was posted, many fans began combing through the ToC for a first glimpse at everything the book is going to have to offer. Because this is the second Magic: The Gathering setting introduced with a full DnD book, players had a good idea of what to expect. That said, obviously the pantheon section is going to be much more important in the world of Theros.
There's a lot to dig through, but some of the highlights include the confirmation of six races and two new subclasses, a massive chapter on the pantheon of Theros, and obviously the full list of monsters that will be added to the dungeon master's arsenal. As expected, the monsters in this book draw inspiration from both Greek mythology and the cards from the MtG Theros block, so there are some very exciting and terrifying familiar faces.
Races
Human
Centaur
Leonin
Minotaur
Satyr
Trition
Note: As always, DMs can decide to allow additional races into a setting at their own discretion, but these are the playable races who are actually native to the Theros plane.
New Subclasses
Bard- College of Eloquence
Paladin - Oath of Glory
Just two new subclasses is a bit underwhelming, but not very surprising. The Explorer's Guide to Wildemount added three new subclasses so something in this ballpark seems to be the standard at this point. Hopefully these two new options will be just as exciting as Wildemount's Dunamancy options.
New Backgrounds
Athlete
Just one new background in this book, so don't get too excited on this front. GMs will likely want to make sure that all of their players don't flock to this just because it's new. A variety of backgrounds usually makes for better player composition unless there's a compelling reason otherwise.
Creating Theros Adventures
This chapter seems to be full of all kinds of exciting material, including subsections on both nautical adventuring and underworld adventures. As expected, the chapter also looks like it will dedicate a fair amount of real estate on how players should incorporate the Theros pantheon into their adventures. The gods are much more involved in human affairs on Theros than the average setting, so expect dungeon masters to play around with that concept and involve the gods in the lives of adventurers a lot more than usual.
Treasures
The treasures section appears to only be a few pages long and has sections dedicated to both Magic Items and Artifacts. There are some very iconic weapons and magic items that appears on Theros cards in both of the MtG blocks, so it will be exciting to see at least a few of those brought to life here.
Friends and Foes
Last, but definitely not least, the Theros book contains a massive glossary of new monsters and NPCs for dungeon masters to throw at their parties. The list includes a ton of very exciting additions to the game, but here are some of the highlights:
Nyxborn creatures
Archons
Cerberi
Colossus of Akros
Fleecemane Lion
Polukranos
Nyx-Fleece Ram
Triton Master of Waves
Overall, this book seems to be jam-packed with exciting content to help create massive campaigns in the world of Theros. It will be very interesting to see where MtG goes next and if future campaign setting books will return to old iconic locations like the world of Dark Sun or if DnD will continue drawing inspiration from newer sources like Critical Role and contemporary Magic: the Gathering sets.
Although the physical edition of the book has been delayed to July 21, the digital version is still slated to become available on June 2. Because the game stores already have the discount codes, many players have been able to receive their code and activate the pre-order to unlock digital bonuses and be ready to dive right into the book on June 2. Although this bundle is incredibly exciting and provides a good value for shoppers who wanted a physical and digital version anyway, it doesn't sound like players should come to expect this sort of deal with every new sourcebook or adventure.
Be sure to check back soon for more Dungeons and Dragons strategy guides, news, and updates. Until then, roll well!
Dungeons and Dragons: Mythic Odysseys of Theros will be available on DnD beyond June 2. The physical edition has been delayed to July 21.